Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said he would not organize an open house during Eid al-Fitr this year in order to allow state officials to celebrate the festival with their families.
"This is my third year without mass iftar or open house. I am giving flexibility for all to (celebrate Eid by) meeting with their extended families, best friends, or neighbors," Jokowi stated in Depok, West Java, on Thursday.
The president and First Lady Iriana, for the last time, organized an Eid open house at the State Palace in 2019. The event took place from morning to noon.
However, the presidential open house was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and it has not taken place again yet until now.
Meanwhile, Presidential Secretariat's Protocol, Press, and Media Department Head Bey Machmudin stated that as this year's Eid al-Fitr will take place without any COVID-19-related restrictions, the president allows government officials to spend Eid with their families.
"Hence, Mr President allows state officials to gather and meet with their families, and he decided not to organize an open house," Machmudin stated.
He remarked that the president also instructed the apparatus accompanying him during the Eid al-Fitr holiday period to be streamlined.
Similar to the president, Vice President Amin said that he and Second Lady Wury did not plan to organize an open house during this year's Eid al-Fitr.
"There will be no open house. The president is also not organizing such an event this year," the vice president remarked on the sidelines of his working visit to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on Tuesday (April 11).
However, the vice president said he plans to celebrate Eid al-Fitr in Jakarta and would perform the Eid prayer at Istiqlal Mosque in Central Jakarta.
"I will spend my Eid al-Fitr in Jakarta, God Willing, and (I will perform) Eid prayer at the Istiqlal (mosque)," Amin remarked.
